Sold a Story: Episode 12 - The Evidence

Released February 27, 2025 by APM Reports

Introduction: The Crisis in Children's Reading Abilities

Millions of children across the United States struggle with reading, a fundamental skill essential for academic and personal success. Despite decades of scientific research outlining effective methods for teaching reading, many schools continue to rely on outdated or disproven approaches. Sold a Story delves into this educational impasse, focusing on the efforts of four authors and a publishing company that have profited immensely from misleading educational narratives.

Section 1: Nancy Madden and Bob Slavin – Champions for Educational Reform

The episode begins by introducing Nancy Madden and Bob Slavin, two passionate educators committed to transforming the education system.

• Emily Hanford [00:00]: "In 1969, a young woman named Nancy Madden graduated from high school in Minnesota and went off to Portland, Oregon, to go to Reed College."

Nancy, a product of the 60s activism, met Bob Slavin at Reed College, where their shared concerns about educational inequality, especially for poor Black children, fueled their collaboration.

• Bob Slavin [00:10]: "Reed's a very odd place. I mean, it's where you go to be very intellectual and very disruptive."

Their partnership was rooted in a mutual desire to address the obvious disparities in educational opportunities.

• Bob Slavin [00:35]: "The disparities in opportunity for children were just so obvious at that time."

Section 2: Challenging the Status Quo – The Coleman Report

Nancy and Bob were inspired to make tangible changes in education despite prevailing doubts about the impact of school quality on student outcomes. This skepticism was largely influenced by the Coleman Report of the 1960s.

• Emily Hanford [02:18]: "James Coleman... found that a student's academic achievement depended a lot on their family's socioeconomic status. In fact, the family a child grew up in seemed to matter more than the school a child went to."

This report suggested that improving schools might not significantly affect student performance, undermining arguments for educational reform focused on school-based interventions.

However, Nancy and Bob believed the report didn't capture the full picture. They noticed variations in how different schools impacted their students, prompting them to investigate what made some schools more effective than others.

Section 3: Developing "Success for All" – A Whole School Reform Program

Determined to create a solution, Nancy and Bob developed "Success for All," a comprehensive program aimed at overhauling entire schools rather than implementing isolated interventions.

• Bob Slavin [05:12]: "You may be worrying about high school, but if those kids aren't reading by third grade, then you've lost them. You have to do that early part really well."

Their approach was revolutionary, emphasizing early literacy with a phonics-based reading program from day one, contrary to the prevailing educational trends.

• Bob Slavin [05:48]: "We were revolutionary at the time. We put a phonics based beginning reading program in place from day one. Very much opposed to the Zeitgeist at the time."

"Success for All" wasn't merely a reading program; it was a holistic initiative addressing attendance, parental engagement, and tutoring, ensuring that students received comprehensive support.

• Bob Slavin [06:26]: "Kids weren't coming to school, so attendance had to be addressed. Parents weren't engaged, so you had to engage."

Section 4: Implementing and Validating Success for All

Nancy and Bob didn't just develop the program—they rigorously tested it. Their first study compared five Baltimore schools using "Success for All" with five schools maintaining traditional methods. The results were promising:

• Emily Hanford [10:02]: "The kids in the success for all schools did better on several key measures. They were absent, less, less likely to repeat a year of school. And by the end of third grade, they were about eight months, almost an entire school year ahead in reading."

Independent researchers, like Jeffrey Borman from the University of Chicago, further validated the program's effectiveness, finding sustained benefits in reading proficiency and reduced need for special education.

• Jeffrey Borman [11:14]: "It was quite a rosy picture, a lot stronger impacts than I really imagined."

Section 5: Adopting Success for All in Steubenville – Overcoming Resistance

In the late 1990s, the Steubenville, Ohio school district faced a dire situation: a new state law mandated that fourth graders pass a reading test to advance, risking a third of students being held back.

Melinda Young, then an elementary principal, and Richard Vernallo, an assistant superintendent, sought effective solutions and discovered "Success for All."

• Melinda Young [14:23]: "We thought, well, we want to be the best."

However, adopting the program wasn't straightforward. Success for All required unanimous teacher approval, leading to a secret, yet unanimous, vote.

• Bob Slavin [15:34]: "If you want real change to occur, you don't need to be fighting against, you know, sabotage going on."

Despite initial resistance, especially from veteran teachers who disliked the scripted nature of the program, comprehensive training and incentives like provided meals helped secure buy-in.

• Lynette Gorman [16:02]: "There were veteran teachers... they were very resistant."

Section 6: The Rise and Fall of Reading First

Buoyed by the success of "Success for All," the federal government launched the Reading First initiative under President George W. Bush, aiming to promote scientifically based reading programs.

• Bob Slavin [17:38]: "We will launch a new initiative called Reading First."

Reading First sought to standardize reading instruction by endorsing programs proven through rigorous research. "Success for All" and Direct Instruction were among the few programs that met the stringent criteria.

However, problems arose when the federal guidelines clashed with existing policies. The government couldn't officially endorse specific programs, leading to confusion and mismanagement.

• Christopher Peek [18:29]: "Almost every program says they have evidence behind it... It's a lot harder to actually meet that definition."

Additionally, conflicts of interest emerged as some Reading First consultants promoted their own commercially successful, yet unproven, programs.

Bob Slavin and Mari Clay, creator of the Reading Recovery Program, lodged complaints with the Office of the Inspector General, highlighting the mismanagement and bias within Reading First.

• Bob Slavin [21:12]: "Our schools were told, you have to stop using Success for All. It's not on the Reading first list."

The Inspector General's investigation confirmed these issues, leading to congressional hearings and the eventual dissolution of Reading First.

Section 7: The Aftermath – Impact on Success for All and Educational Policy

The collapse of Reading First had profound repercussions. "Success for All," once a beacon of evidence-based success, saw its adoption plummet from nearly 2,000 schools to about 800.

• Bob Slavin [21:41]: "We had a staff of 500 people and we fired half of them. It was just awful."

Disillusioned with the U.S. policy landscape, Bob Slavin moved to the UK, where his work found a more supportive environment.

• Bob Slavin [25:02]: "He was so frustrated by the policy landscape here in the US that he left. He got an offer from the University of York to start an evidence based policy program in the UK."

Meanwhile, Steubenville remained committed to "Success for All," continuing to see positive outcomes.

• Melinda Young [26:05]: "It just was something that we could become because we feel right now that it is what we are like."

Section 8: The Ongoing Debate – Science of Reading and Program Approval

With the resurgence of interest in the science of reading, states began establishing lists of approved programs. However, "Success for All" often found itself excluded due to the lingering fallout from Reading First's mismanagement.

• Bob Slavin [28:38]: "This idea of Science of Reading coming..."

In 2015, Congress relaxed the stringent requirements for what constitutes "scientifically based" reading programs, allowing programs without rigorous studies to claim evidence-based status.

• Christopher Peek [26:36]: "They said, let's loosen the requirements. We don't need all that scientifically based reading research anymore."

This shift has led to a proliferation of programs with varying degrees of efficacy, complicating efforts to ensure quality education.

• Christopher Peek [27:10]: "As long as you make a good argument that your program derives some of its lessons from research that counts as evidence based."

Conclusion: The Legacy of Success for All and the Future of Educational Reform

Sold a Story highlights the complex interplay between research, policy, and commercial interests in shaping educational practices. Nancy Madden and Bob Slavin's dedication to evidence-based reform underscores the potential for effective programs to transform student outcomes. However, their experience with Reading First serves as a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of policy implementation and the importance of maintaining integrity in educational initiatives.

Despite setbacks, the principles championed by "Success for All" continue to influence discussions around the science of reading, emphasizing the need for scientifically grounded approaches to education.

Notable Quotes

• Bob Slavin [05:12]: "You may be worrying about high school, but if those kids aren't reading by third grade, then you've lost them."

• Jeffrey Borman [11:14]: "It was quite a rosy picture, a lot stronger impacts than I really imagined."

• Bob Slavin [21:12]: "Our schools were told, you have to stop using Success for All. It's not on the Reading first list."

• Christopher Peek [26:36]: "They said, let's loosen the requirements. We don't need all that scientifically based reading research anymore."

Final Thoughts

Sold a Story Episode 12 provides an in-depth exploration of the challenges and triumphs in the quest to improve reading education for millions of children. Through the lens of Nancy Madden and Bob Slavin's journey, the podcast sheds light on the critical importance of evidence-based practices and the obstacles they face within broader educational policies.

For more insights and detailed stories, visit the Sold a Story website and consider leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform to support this essential discourse in education reform.